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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- At least Florida didn't lose its aim
from the foul line.
The 10th-ranked Gators overcame poor shooting by making 11 of 12 free throws in the final 1:24 Saturday to hold off DePaul for an 83-76 victory that left coach Billy Donovan crowing about his team's perseverance.
"It's a good sign that we can shoot as poorly as we did and still find a way to win," Donovan said after Udonis Haslem scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to help Florida (3-0) remain unbeaten heading into Wednesday night's rematch of last season's NCAA championship game against Michigan State.
|  | | Florida's Major Parker goes up for a dunk, two of his eight points on Saturday. |
"It wasn't just one player overcoming adversity," Donovan
added. "The whole team shot poorly."
Reserve Matt Bonner scored 17 points and Brett Nelson added 16
for Florida (3-0), which played without starting point guard Teddy
Dupay, who was serving a suspension for violating team rules.
DePaul (3-2) erased a double-digit, first-half deficit and
stayed close after halftime, despite playing the final 21 minutes
without freshman guard Imari Sawyer, who sprained his right ankle
and watched the second half from the bench.
"It was a very hard-fought game. I feel like it's mid-January
and it's only Dec. 2," DePaul coach Pat Kennedy said. "Our bench
did a terrific job. Our biggest problem was turning it over, no
matter who we had in there."
Haslem, who made eight of 17 shots, gave Florida the lead for
good with a layup that made it 70-69 with 2:32 to go. After Brett
Wright drove the lane for another layup and a three-point lead, the
Gators scored their last 11 points from the foul line.
DePaul shot nearly 52 percent from the field, but turned the
ball over 24 times and went 9-for-19 from the free-throw line. The
Blue Demons also only got 10 points from leading scorer Bobby
Simmons, who didn't make his first field goal until midway through
the second half.
"We gave it all we had and tried to make it close," Simmons
said. "Our bench was great. We needed them to play hard and
contribute to the team, and they did."
Florida led 45-39 at the half, scoring 11 straight points before
the break after DePaul put together a 21-8 run to overcome a
10-point deficit to go up 39-34. The Gators were limited to two
field goals -- both 3-pointers -- during a five-minute stretch, but
hit five of six shots in the closing minutes to regain control.
The Gators launched 19 3-pointers in the opening half, making
seven. They finished 9-for-25 from behind the arc and shot just
under 38 percent overall in extending their non-conference home
winning streak to 17 before a crowd of 11,125.
Lance Williams led DePaul with 17 points. Although Simmons was
held to his lowest point total of the season -- seven below his
average -- he did grab 11 rebounds and finish with a team-high three
assists.
Sawyer, averaging nearly 14 points and just over 10 assists, had
six points and two assists.
Meanwhile, Florida's backcourt of Nelson (5-for-17) and Justin
Hamilton (1-for-9) missed 20 of 26 shots, including 10 of 13 from
3-point range.
"We had great looks and got the ball inside like we wanted
to," Donovan said. "Our shots just didn't fall. It was one of
those games that we just couldn't get into a rhythm."
Donovan said Dupay, one of four starters returning from the team
that lost to Michigan State in last year's national title game,
will return to practice on Monday. But his status for Wednesday
night remains uncertain.
"I don't know if he'll play," the coach said. "I will meet
with him, but there are some things he needs to do to get back on
our basketball team. We'll see what he wants to do."
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
DePaul Clubhouse
Florida Clubhouse
Florida's Dupay suspended indefinitely for violating team rules
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Udonis Haslem hits the boards as he tips the ball in for the Gators.
avi: 949 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
DePaul's Andre Brown throws down the alley-oop from Imari Sawyer.
avi: 776 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Florida's Brett Nelson sends Rashon Burno's shot into the crowd.
avi: 629 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Rashon Burno gets the ball on the break and soars in for the basket.
avi: 874 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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